with　the　loss　of　much　people。　Such　is　the　will　of　Jove；　who　has　laid
  many　a　proud　city　in　the　dust；　as　he　will　yet　lay　others；　for　his
  power　is　above　all。　It　will　be　a　sorry　tale　hereafter　that　an
  Achaean　host；　at　once　so　great　and　valiant；　battled　in　vain　against
  men　fewer　in　number　than　themselves；　but　as　yet　the　end　is　not　in
  sight。　Think　that　the　Achaeans　and　Trojans　have　sworn　to　a　solemn
  covenant；　and　that　they　have　each　been　numbered…　the　Trojans　by　the
  roll　of　their　householders；　and　we　by　companies　of　ten；　think
  further　that　each　of　our　companies　desired　to　have　a　Trojan
  householder　to　pour　out　their　wine；　we　are　so　greatly　more　in　number
  that　full　many　a　company　would　have　to　go　without　its　cup…bearer。
  But　they　have　in　the　town　allies　from　other　places；　and　it　is　these
  that　hinder　me　from　being　able　to　sack　the　rich　city　of　Ilius。　Nine　of
  Jove　years　are　gone；　the　timbers　of　our　ships　have　rotted；　their
  tackling　is　sound　no　longer。　Our　wives　and　little　ones　at　home　look
  anxiously　for　our　coming；　but　the　work　that　we　came　hither　to　do　has
  not　been　done。　Now；　therefore；　let　us　all　do　as　I　say：　let　us　sail
  back　to　our　own　land；　for　we　shall　not　take　Troy。〃
  With　these　words　he　moved　the　hearts　of　the　multitude；　so　many　of
  them　as　knew　not　the　cunning　counsel　of　Agamemnon。　They　surged　to
  and　fro　like　the　waves　of　the　Icarian　Sea；　when　the　east　and　south
  winds　break　from　heaven's　clouds　to　lash　them；　or　as　when　the　west
  wind　sweeps　over　a　field　of　corn　and　the　ears　bow　beneath　the　blast；
  even　so　were　they　swayed　as　they　flew　with　loud　cries　towards　the
  ships；　and　the　dust　from　under　their　feet　rose　heavenward。　They
  cheered　each　other　on　to　draw　the　ships　into　the　sea；　they　cleared　the
  channels　in　front　of　them；　they　began　taking　away　the　stays　from
  underneath　them；　and　the　welkin　rang　with　their　glad　cries；　so　eager
  were　they　to　return。
  Then　surely　the　Argives　would　have　returned　after　a　fashion　that　was
  not　fated。　But　Juno　said　to　Minerva；　〃Alas；　daughter　of
  aegis…bearing　Jove；　unweariable；　shall　the　Argives　fly　home　to　their
  own　land　over　the　broad　sea；　and　leave　Priam　and　the　Trojans　the　glory
  of　still　keeping　Helen；　for　whose　sake　so　many　of　the　Achaeans　have
  died　at　Troy；　far　from　their　homes？　Go　about　at　once　among　the　host；
  and　speak　fairly　to　them；　man　by　man；　that　they　draw　not　their　ships
  into　the　sea。〃
  Minerva　was　not　slack　to　do　her　bidding。　Down　she　darted　from　the
  topmost　summits　of　Olympus；　and　in　a　moment　she　was　at　the　ships　of
  the　Achaeans。　There　she　found　Ulysses；　peer　of　Jove　in　counsel；
  standing　alone。　He　had　not　as　yet　laid　a　hand　upon　his　ship；　for　he
  was　grieved　and　sorry；　so　she　went　close　up　to　him　and　said；　〃Ulysses；
  noble　son　of　Laertes；　are　you　going　to　fling　yourselves　into　your
  ships　and　be　off　home　to　your　own　land　in　this　way？　Will　you　leave
  Priam　and　the　Trojans　the　glory　of　still　keeping　Helen；　for　whose　sake
  so　many　of　the　Achaeans　have　died　at　Troy；　far　from　their　homes？　Go
  about　at　once　among　the　host；　and　speak　fairly　to　them；　man　by　man；
  that　they　draw　not　their　ships　into　the　sea。〃
  Ulysses　knew　the　voice　as　that　of　the　goddess：　he　flung　his　cloak
  from　him　and　set　off　to　run。　His　servant　Eurybates；　a　man　of　Ithaca；
  who　waited　on　him；　took　charge　of　the　cloak；　whereon　Ulysses　went
  straight　up　to　Agamemnon　and　received　from　him　his　ancestral；
  imperishable　staff。　With　this　he　went　about　among　the　ships　of　the
  Achaeans。
  Whenever　he　met　a　king　or　chieftain；　he　stood　by　him　and　spoke　him
  fairly。　〃Sir；〃　said　he；　〃this　flight　is　cowardly　and　unworthy。　Stand
  to　your　post；　and　bid　your　people　also　keep　their　places。　You　do　not
  yet　know　the　full　mind　of　Agamemnon；　he　was　sounding　us；　and　ere
  long　will　visit　the　Achaeans　with　his　displeasure。　We　were　not　all
  of　us　at　the　council　to　hear　what　he　then　said；　see　to　it　lest　he　be
  angry　and　do　us　a　mischief；　for　the　pride　of　kings　is　great；　and　the
  hand　of　Jove　is　with　them。〃
  But　when　he　came　across　any　common　man　who　was　making　a　noise；　he
  struck　him　with　his　staff　and　rebuked　him；　saying；　〃Sirrah；　hold
  your　peace；　and　listen　to　better　men　than　yourself。　You　are　a　coward
  and　no　soldier；　you　are　nobody　either　in　fight　or　council；　we　cannot
  all　be　kings；　it　is　not　well　that　there　should　be　many　masters；　one
  man　must　be　supreme…　one　king　to　whom　the　son　of　scheming　Saturn　has
  given　the　sceptre　of　sovereignty　over　you　all。〃
  Thus　masterfully　did　he　go　about　among　the　host；　and　the　people
  hurried　back　to　the　council　from　their　tents　and　ships　with　a　sound　as
  the　thunder　of　surf　when　it　comes　crashing　down　upon　the　shore；　and
  all　the　sea　is　in　an　uproar。
  The　rest　now　took　their　seats　and　kept　to　their　own　several
  places；　but　Thersites　still　went　on　wagging　his　unbridled　tongue…　a
  man　of　many　words；　and　those　unseemly；　a　monger　of　sedition；　a
  railer　against　all　who　were　in　authority；　who　cared　not　what　he
  said；　so　that　he　might　set　the　Achaeans　in　a　laugh。　He　was　the　ugliest
  man　of　all　those　that　came　before　Troy…　bandy…legged；　lame　of　one
  foot；　with　his　two　shoulders　rounded　and　hunched　over　his　chest。　His
  head　ran　up　to　a　point；　but　there　was　little　hair　on　the　top　of　it。
  Achilles　and　Ulysses　hated　him　worst　of　all；　for　it　was　with　them　that
  he　was　most　wont　to　wrangle；　now；　however；　with　a　shrill　squeaky　voice
  he　began　heaping　his　abuse　on　Agamemnon。　The　Achaeans　were　angry　and
  disgusted；　yet　none　the　less　he　kept　on　brawling　and　bawling　at　the
  son　of　Atreus。
  〃Agamemnon；〃　he　cried；　〃what　ails　you　now；　and　what　more　do　you
  want？　Your　tents　are　filled　with　bronze　and　with　fair　women；　for
  whenever　we　take　a　town　we　give　you　the　pick　of　them。　Would　you　have
  yet　more　gold；　which　some　Trojan　is　to　give　you　as　a　ransom　for　his
  son；　when　I　or　another　Achaean　has　taken　him　prisoner？　or　is　it　some
  young　girl　to　hide　and　lie　with？　It　is　not　well　that　you；　the　ruler　of
  the　Achaeans；　should　bring　them　into　such　misery。　Weakling　cowards；
  women　rather　than　men；　let　us　sail　home；　and　leave　this　fellow　here　at
  Troy　to　stew　in　his　own　meeds　of　honour；　and　discover　whether　we
  were　of　any　service　to　him　or　no。　Achilles　is　a　much　better　man　than
  he　is；　and　see　how　he　has　treated　him…　robbing　him　of　his　prize　and
  keeping　it　himself。　Achilles　takes　it　meekly　and　shows　no　fight；　if　he
  did；　son　of　Atreus；　you　would　never　again　insult　him。〃
  Thus　railed　Thersites；　but　Ulysses　at　once　went　up　to　him　and
  rebuked　him　sternly。　〃Check　your　glib　tongue；　Thersites；〃　said　be；
  〃and　babble　not　a　word　further。　Chide　not　with　princes　when　you　have
  none　to　back　you。　There　is　no　viler　creature　come　before　Troy　with　the
  sons　of　Atreus。　Drop　this　chatter　about　kings；　and　neither　revile　them
  nor　keep　harping　about　going　home。　We　do　not　yet　know　how　things　are
  going　to　be；　nor　whether　the　Achaeans　are　to　return　with　good
  success　or　evil。　How　dare　you　gibe　at　Agamemnon　because　the　Danaans
  have　awarded　him　so　many　prizes？　I　tell　you；　therefore…　and　it　shall
  surely　be…　that　if　I　again　catch　you　talking　such　nonsense；　I　will
  either　forfeit　my　own　head　and　be　no　more　called　father　of　Telemachus；
  or　I　will　take　you；　strip　you　stark　naked；　and　whip　you　out　of　the
  assembly　till　you　go　blubbering　back　to　the　ships。〃
  On　this　he　beat　him　with　his　staff　about　the　back　and　shoulders　till
  he　dropped　and　fell　a…weeping。　The　golden　sceptre　raised　a　bloody　weal
  on　his　back；　so　he　sat　down　frightened　and　in　pain；　looking　foolish　as
  he　wiped　the　tears　from　his　eyes。　The　people　were　sorry　for　him；　yet
  they　laughed　heartily；　and　one　would　turn　to　his　neighbour　saying；
  〃Ulysses　has　done　many　a　good　thing　ere　now　in　fight　and　council；
  but　he　never　did　the　Argives　a　better　turn　than　when　he　stopped　this
  fellow's　mouth　from　prating　further。　He　will　give　the　kings　no　more　of
  his　insolence。〃
  Thus　said　the　people。　Then　Ulysses　rose；　sceptre　in　hand；　and
  Minerva　in　the　likeness　of　a　herald　bade　the　people　be　still；　that
  those　who　were　far　off　might　hear　him　and　consider　his　council。　He
  therefore　with　all　sincerity　and　goodwill　addressed　them　thus：…
  〃King　Agamemnon；　the　Achaeans　are　for　making　you　a　by…word　among　all
  mankind。　They　forget　the　promise　they　made　you　when　they　set　out
  from　Argos；　that　you　should　not　return　till　you　had　sacked　the　town　of
  Troy；　and；　like　children　or　widowed　women；　they　murmur　and　would　set
  off　homeward。　True　it　is　that　they　have　had　toil　enough　to　be
  disheartened。　A　man　chafes　at　having　to　stay　away　from　his　wife　even
  for　a　single　month；　when　he　is　on　shipboard；　at　the　mercy　of　wind
  and　sea；　but　it　is　now　nine　long　years　that　we　have　been　kept　here；
  I　cannot；　therefore；　blame　the　Achaeans　if　they　turn　restive；　still　we
  shall　be　shamed　if　we　go　home　empty　after　so　long　a　stay…　therefore；
  my　friends；　be　patient　yet　a　little　longer　that　we　may　learn　whether
  the　prophesyings　of　Calchas　were　false　or　true。
  〃All　who　have　not　since　perished　must　remember　as　though　it　were
  yesterday　or　the　day　before；　how　the　ships　of　the　Achaeans　were
  detained　in　Aulis　when　we　were　on　our　way　hither　to　make　war　on
  Priam　and　the　Trojans。　We　were　ranged　round　about　a　fountain
  offering　hecatombs　to　the　gods　upon　their　holy　altars；　and　there　was　a
  fine　plane…tree　from　bene